Name:	nlnk_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedEconomicInterestInPriorityReviewVoucher
Namespace Prefix:	nlnk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Asset, Priority Review Voucher

No definition available.

Name:	nlnk_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetPriorityReviewVoucher
Namespace Prefix:	nlnk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Conversion of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction

No definition available.

Name:	nlnk_ConversionOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipAfterTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	nlnk_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Number of Board of Directors

No definition available.

Name:	nlnk_NumberOfBoardOfDirectors
Namespace Prefix:	nlnk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Priority Review Voucher, Estimated Transaction Price

No definition available.

Name:	nlnk_PriorityReviewVoucherEstimatedTransactionPrice
Namespace Prefix:	nlnk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Priority Review Voucher Liability, Observed Transaction Price

No definition available.

Name:	nlnk_PriorityReviewVoucherLiabilityObservedTransactionPrice
Namespace Prefix:	nlnk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from the entity's basis in a discontinued operation.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 30
-Section 25
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121829422&loc=d3e41322-109329

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32621-109319

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesParentsBasisInDiscontinuedOperation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The amount of purchased research and development assets that are acquired in a business combination have no alternative future use and are therefore written off in the period of acquisition.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentInProcess
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=nlnk_PrivateLumosStockholdersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_OwnershipAxis=nlnk_NewLinkGeneticsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=nlnk_MerckSharpeandDohmeCorpMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: